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We all spend a good chunk of time in our cars – chauffeuring kids around, running errands, commuting to work – but too often our cars are just as chaotic as the rest of our lives.

Yes, there are crackers and fruit snacks in every nook and cranny, but that’s not what we’re talking about. Don’t worry about that. Those are just emergency snacks.

What we really mean is making the time you spend in your car actually enjoyable by staying organized and by making the most of it. Here’s how:

1. Do You Hear What I Hear?
Whether it’s an audiobook, a podcast or just the music you want, use this time to listen to something valuable to you. If that means plugging the kids into their own tablets with their own headphones, so be it. Use your smartphone to pick up where you left off on your favorite story – there are even options to use your car’s audio system, from Bluetooth to cassette tape adapter to auxiliary port.

2. Getaway CarDo you ever arrive at your destination, but you really like the song on the radio or only have five minutes left on your favorite podcast? Finish it! Take a little time for yourself and enjoy it. Or, if you just want to use that extra five minutes to sit in silence before you tackle those errands, that’s fine too. Any parent who walks by will see you and think, “Good for her.”

3. Keep Your Car Stocked
There’s nothing worse than a pint-sized passenger who needs a snack, a drink or a tissue when you’ve got none of the above. Keep a stash of snacks that won’t spoil, plus other essentials — baby wipes, tissues, bottled water, a brush — in your car at all times. Buy an over-the-seat car organizer and don’t forget to restock every so often.

4. Avoid the Mobile Office
Don’t turn your car into an extension of work or home. If you need to make a phone call or answer an email real quick, fine (not while driving, of course). But treat your car like the escape it can be and you won’t dread every time you buckle up.

How do you make the most of drive time? Let us know in the comments below.

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